When You're Gone
by fffan231
Summary: AAML. Second and final chapter up. Misty is upset about something, and goes off in the middle of the night to think. Ash is worried and follows her, and they meet a danger they didn't expect. More to it, just don't want to give too much away.
1. Chapter 1

This is my second AAML. I hope you like it, as it took a lot of time to figure out how I wanted it to go. This has no connection to my other AAML "Remember Where We Are Now" Please review.

_When You're Gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missing you_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missing, too_

_When You're Gone, the words I need to hear, to always get me through the day_

_And make it ok_

_I miss you_

Ages:

Ash: 16

Misty: 17

Brock: 18

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We see our three heroes on their way to the next town in Hoenn for Ash to get his next badge. The day is settling into late afternoon as they walk through the woods.

"Ok," Brock said, looking at the map, "The next town isn't for quite a few miles. We should find a place to camp tonight."

"Sounds good," Ash said stretching, Pikachu sitting on his shoulder.

"Yeah," Misty said, Togepi chirping in her arms. "I'm tired." They kept walking, pushing branches out of the way. The trees finally began to thin, until they found a small clearing.

"Here's a good spot," Brock said, taking his backpack off as he looked around. Ash and Misty did the same.

They all helped to get everything ready. Ash and Misty collected firewood, and Brock cooked dinner while they set up their sleeping bags.

After they ate, the light faded from the forest, revealing night. The only light was the light from the fire, and the soft glow of the moonlight.

They all agreed it was late, and they were all tired, so they decided to go to bed. Misty cuddled into her sleeping bag with an already dozing Togepi. Brock got in his after setting it up on the opposite side of the fire. Ash took off his jacket, pokeball belt and hat before getting into his own. Pikachu arched his back in a stretch, and joined his trainer.

The only sound in the camp was the sound of the crackling fire, as Misty lay awake.

She stared at Ash, who was lying in his sleeping bag a few feet away from her, his back facing her. She didn't know how long she was lying there, but it had to be a while. Sleep just wouldn't come to her, as it hadn't for a few nights.

_Why can't I just tell him…?_ she thought, watching the steady motion of Ash's breathing. _….I don't know how much longer I can hold this in….._ An uneasy pain began to fill her chest and her face became hot.

_I have to tell him I love him._ Her eyes began to fill with tears.

_But how could he love me back? He couldn't… He hates me…_

Misty tried to blink the tears away, but to no avail.

She needed some time by herself, so she started to slip out of her sleeping bag, making sure she didn't wake Togepi. She made sure the baby egg pokemon was still tucked in and fast asleep before standing up.

Misty just stood there, watching Ash. The feeling in her chest got worse, and she looked down as the tears threatened to fall. She sighed quietly, then headed through the trees.

Ash lay awake in his sleeping bag. He couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried. He couldn't stop thinking about Misty.

_How am I supposed to tell her?_ Ash thought, sighing deeply. He had found that lately, his usual determination and excitement to collect badges began to fade as he thought about Misty more and more. His heart ached to tell her how he felt, and it worsened the longer he kept it inside. But he couldn't tell her. He feared that she didn't feel the same.

_There's no way she could love me back… she'd just laugh at me… or she might even leave… I couldn't stand that…_

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard movement behind him. He didn't think anything of it, guessing Misty was turning in her sleep. But the noise stopped and was replaced by the sound of footsteps.

Puzzled, he turned around to see what was happening. He found Misty's sleeping bag empty. He shifted his eyes toward the woods as he heard a small rustle of leaves. He was just in time to see Misty walking into the woods, wiping her eyes.

_Where's she going?_ Ash thought worriedly. His eyes brows knitted together. _…Was she crying…?_

Ash became too worried, and decided to go see what was wrong. He carefully got out of his sleeping bag, trying not to wake Pikachu. But as he stood up, the electric mouse stirred and opened his eyes, looking up hazily at his trainer.

"Pikapi..?" he questioned softly.

"Shh," Ash said. "Don't worry, I'll be right back." He smiled, and headed in the direction Misty went. Pikachu watched him go, puzzled.

- - - - - -

Now that Misty was alone, she let her tears fall freely. She wiped them away when they made her vision too blurry to see.

She kept walking until she felt like she was far away enough from the camp to be alone. She found a dead log, and sat on it, burying her face in her hands.

She had started going off by herself every once in a while when the others were sleeping. She only did it when she felt upset, and couldn't hold her tears in anymore. She knew if she cried at the camp, someone might wake up and ask her what was wrong.

But she didn't want to tell anyone why she had been crying lately: it was because of Ash. Keeping her love for him inside was starting to make her sick. She felt worse each day she didn't tell him. But she thought it would be more painful to tell him, because he wouldn't return the feelings, and might even get mad. She couldn't stand to lose him.

Instead, she would just leave and let herself cry. Even though it did make her feel a little better, the sickness in her heart would just get worse.

What she really wanted was Ash to be there with her.

- - - - - - -

Ash walked though the trees, the moon his only light, which was little. He wasn't sure which way Misty went, or how far. He just tried to walk straight, pushing away a few branches.

He slowed as he thought he heard something. He then stopped and listened. It was quiet, then he heard a sob. He looked in that direction and followed it.

- - - - - - -

Misty's head shot up as she heard noises coming from the side. Her eyes became wide as she saw someone coming. She squinted as the figure got closer, and her heart jumped as she realized it was Ash.

"Ash…" she said through a sob. She was surprised to see him, and the feeling of longing built up in her chest as she looked at the one she loved.

"Misty…?" Ash said as he slowly approached her. "…What's wrong…?"

Misty looked away. Her heart pained as she heard his sweet voice, making more tears fall.

Ash rushed over to her, and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder.

"Misty…?" he asked, his voice full of concern. "Come on… What's wrong?"

His touch made her shiver. Her heart pounded in her ears as she heard his soft voice, full of concern for her.

She avoided his eyes. "Nothing… I'm fine."

A look of hurt spread across Ash's face. Why couldn't she tell him? Did she not trust him?

He sat down next to her and tried to look at her face. "Misty… If you just walk away from camp in the middle of the night crying, something is wrong."

She closed her eyes. "I… can't tell you…" Fresh tears fell down her cheeks.

A lump formed in Ash's throat. He couldn't stand to see her so upset, especially when he couldn't do anything about it.

"Why not...?" he asked, pushing the words past the lump.

She wanted to tell him. She tried, but her fear held her back.

"I…. just can't…" Misty said helplessly. She began to sob uncontrollably.

Ash pulled her close to him, letting her lay her head on his chest. She buried her face into his shirt, letting the tears fall.

"It's ok, Misty…" Ash said softly, wrapping his arms around her. He lightly rocked her, talking to her softly. "It's ok…."

Ash wished she would tell him what was wrong. He felt so helpless when she was upset. So, he just held her, knowing that was the only thing he could do.

He held her for a few minutes until her sobs began to fade. She finally looked up at him, staring into his beautiful russet eyes. He looked back, a sweet smile spreading across his lips.

"You ok?" he asked. She nodded slightly.

Ash rubbed her arm a bit. He was still worried about her, but knew she didn't want to talk about it, and he didn't want to force her.

"We should get back," Ash said. She nodded again and he gently helped her stand. She looked up at him and into his eyes. Ash felt his lock as they made contact with hers. Misty's heart pounded painfully. She wanted nothing more than to tell him how much she loved him.

Lost in each other's eyes and not fully aware of themselves, they began to move their faces closer…

- - - - - -

Pikachu continued to stare in the direction Ash went. He frowned, trying to figure out why his trainer left like that.

His ear twitched, and he got up. He wasn't sure why, but he knew something was wrong.

- - - - - - -

Ash and Misty were interrupted as they heard a twig snap. They jerked their heads in the direction of the sound and froze.

A few feet away from them stood a Donphan. Even though it was dark, they could see it's eyes filled with anger. It stared menacingly, and scraped one of its feet on the ground.

Ash's heart jumped into his throat. He used one of his hands to gently push Misty behind him. He gently, but firmly held her arm to make sure she didn't try to leave his protection.

Misty gulped as she watched the angry pokemon from behind Ash. She grabbed the back of Ash's shirt as the pokemon huffed and dug its nails into the earth.

"Don't move…" Ash whispered to her, keeping his wide eyes on the Donphan. He wasn't normally afraid of wild pokemon, but he could tell this one was very angry.

Misty looked at Ash, then back at the Donphan, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

The pokemon stopped putting cuts in the earth and stared at them. It watched for any movements.

Then it roared, and charged at them.

There wasn't enough time to react. It was running too fast, and they were too close to it. Ash just held Misty firmly behind him, determined not to let the angry pokemon hurt her.

Just before it could hit them, a small body slammed itself into the charging pokemon's side, sending rolling onto it's back.

Ash stared at the dazed pokemon, then tried to make out their rescuer. He became wide-eyed as he saw Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Ash said in shock. Misty looked up, surprised to see the yellow mouse.

"Pikapi! Pika Pika Pikachu!" (Ash! Get out of here!)

Ash was about to argue, when the Donphan rolled over and back to its feet. His heart quickened, and he looked at Pikachu.

"Pika!" (Now!) Pikachu yelled, a look of determination on his face.

Ash's stomach twisted. Because Donphan was a ground type, Pikachu's electricity wouldn't hurt it. But he knew Pikachu was strong, and would be able to fight the Donphan. He knew that he couldn't protect Misty if they stayed there.

_I have to make sure Misty is safe,_ he firmly told himself.

Ash looked at his pokemon one more time, then nodded and grabbed Misty's hand, running in the opposite direction.

The Donphan's eyes flashed as he saw the two trespassers get away. Enraged, he tried to chase them.

Pikachu charged and ran into the pokemon again. The Donphan was ready this time, and didn't fall over. Instead, he roared, and sent Pikachu into a tree with a swift motion of his trunk. The injured mouse fell to the ground, struggling to get up.

The Donphan returned its attention to the fleeing humans, and chased after them.

- - - - -

Ash and Misty ran through the trees, hand in hand. They didn't know where they were going, or how far. They just knew they had to get away.

Ash whipped his head back as he heard a roar from behind. He watched in terror as the Donphan burst through the trees, gradually gaining on them.

Ash thought frantically. _I can't let it get Misty!_ He thought, trying to figure out what to do. An idea finally came to him.

"Misty!" he called while she ran next to him. "We have to split up. Maybe we can confuse it!" He hoped she would agree, not telling her that as soon as they separated, he would make sure the Donphan chased him so she could get away.

Misty was too scared to argue. She nodded, and they reluctantly let go of each other. Ash continued to run forward while Misty turned to the left.

The Donphan came to an abrupt halt as the two ran in different directions. Ash came to a stop quickly and watched it.

It looked back and forth, it's eyes flashing with frustration. How was he supposed to get both of them now?

He huffed angrily, and ran after Misty.

_Oh no you don't!_ Ash thought as he quickly picked up a rock about the size if his fist. He threw it as hard as he could and watched as it hit the Donphan on the back of the head. It whirled around with fury, spraying dirt everywhere.

"Hey Donphan!" Ash called in a challenging way. "Come and get me!"

Misty looked over her shoulder as she heard his voice. She came to a halt and turned around when she realized that Ash was standing still, calling the Donphan.

The angry pokemon scraped its foot on the ground, a glare in its eyes. Ash turned around and ran, the Donphan charging after him.

"NO!" Misty screamed. She frantically chased them, fear building in her chest.

Ash ran as fast as he could, trying to make sure the Donphan didn't decide to go after Misty. He didn't care what it took to keep her safe. He would do it.

His breath started becoming short and he gasped for air, but didn't slow. He continued to run until he suddenly ran through some trees and found himself in a clearing. He whipped his head back to see if it was still following him.

But just as he did, his foot caught in a hole, and he flew forward, his ankle twisting sharply.

He landed on his side and yelled, reaching for his ankle. He held it as his eyes teared up, the pain making his head swim.

He took a few deep breaths, and forced his eyes open, his vision blurry as his eyes continued to water. He looked at the woods he came from, and saw nothing coming.

He felt a strange emptiness behind him, almost like he was floating in the air. He turned his head around, and was shocked to see that he was right at the edge of a jagged cliff that dropped one hundred feet until it hit a rushing river.

He breathed deeply, half from fear and half from pain. He tried to clear his head so he could get away from his dangerous position.

He jerked his head around as he heard a great rush behind him. He was in time to see the Donphan jump out of the trees and land heavily into the clearing, glaring at him.

Ash's heart jumped as he stared into the furious eyes of his pursuer. His head still swimming, he tried to get up, but couldn't support his weight on his badly injured ankle. He just held it again and watched as the Donphan left gashes in the earth and charged him.

- - - - -

Misty managed too keep up with the Donphan. She was far enough back that it didn't know she was following it, and close enough that she never lost sight of it.

Her heart was pounding, and a hard lump of fear formed in her throat, making it hard to breath. She couldn't see Ash. He was too far ahead to see. She just hoped he would get away safely.

She came to a halt right behind some trees as she saw the Donphan leap forward and land in a small clearing with a great thud. It was standing there looking at something. She gasped for air, and quietly moved to the side too see what it was looking at.

Her breath caught when she saw Ash on the ground by a cliff, holding his ankle.

Before she could do anything, she saw the Donphan charge at Ash. Without thinking, she leapt out of the trees.

"ASH!" she screamed. He only had a second to look at her as the Donphan collided with him and sent him over the cliff. The Donphan was running too fast, and fell after him.

"NOOOO!!!!!" Misty cried. She ran to the cliff and fell to her knees when she reached the edge.

She barely noticed the Donphan as she saw Ash's body repeatedly collide with the jagged wall before he hit the water below.

Her vision was completely blurred as tears poured out of her eyes, falling into the grass in front of her. She was in too much shock to move, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.

She managed to lift her hand up and wipe the tears away and look down the river. Even though it was dark, the moonlight reflected off the water, making the river somewhat visible.

She searched and searched, hoping to see Ash emerge from the water.

A movement on the side caught her eye, and she looked. She watched as the Donphan pulled itself out of the river a few yards down, shake itself off, and run back into the woods.

Her entire body felt numb. Her arms, which were supporting her, trembled and threatened to give under her weight. The tears fell from her eyes, and she did nothing to stop them. She wasn't aware that she stopped breathing.

…_Ash… he's gone…_

She didn't hear as Pikachu bounded out of the woods and ran to her. She barely felt it as he shook her. Her breath returned, but she still felt numb.

"Pikachupi! Pikachu Pika Pika Pikapi!?" (Misty! What happened to Ash!?) She didn't hear him, his little voice too distant in her head.

When Misty didn't answer him, Pikachu followed her eyes as they stared at the river. He looked back at her and watched as tears rolled down her cheeks. With all this information, he realized what happened.

His ears drooped and his eyes began to tear as he shook Misty, trying to make her respond.

"Pikachupi… Pika Pikapi?" (Misty… Where's Ash?)

She heard him this time, and turned her head to look at him. She blinked and said, "A…Ash… went over the… cliff."

Pikachu felt his own tears fall as this was said. The confirmation of what happened made him more upset. He began speaking, hoping Misty would listen.

Misty was still in shock, but could hear what Pikachu said.

"Pika Pika Pi, Pikachu! Pikachu Pi, Pika Pikachu!" (We have to find him! Let's go tell Brock what happened!)

Misty finally forced most of her senses to return, but the shock remained in her chest. She managed a nod, then shakily got up and ran through the woods, Pikachu following.

She wasn't sure which way she came from, but she ran as fast as she could, trying to remember where the camp was. With Pikachu's help, it didn't take long before they found themselves standing in it.

"Brock!" she ran over to her sleeping friend. She fell to her knees and started shaking him, her voice frantic. "Brock! Wake up!"

Brock stirred slightly, then sat up abruptly. He looked at Misty's face, and his own fell.

"What happened!?" He knew something was wrong because she looked terrified, and tears fell from her eyes.

Misty took a shaky breath. "A-Ash f-fell over a cliff, and into a r-river," she sobbed. Brock's face showed shock.

"Where!? When!?" he said as he jumped out of his sleeping bag and stood up.

"A f-few minutes ago, p-pretty far back in the w-woods."

"Show me!"

Misty stood up shakily. She turned as she heard Togepi chirping, the baby pokemon running over to her. She picked her up, then re-entered the woods with Pikachu and Brock.

Because it was so dark and Misty's shock still hadn't left her, she was glad that Pikachu knew the way, sniffing it out when he wasn't sure.

It didn't take long for them to emerge into the clearing. Misty pointed at the cliff, and they all ran up to it.

They looked down and saw the water race below. Misty looked at Brock, waiting for him to say something. He just stood there, staring.

He gulped nervously. "He fell down there..?" Misty nodded, feeling sick.

"Did…. Did he hit the cliff's wall…?"

A lump formed in Misty's throat as she nodded.

Brock's hand went to his face. He covered his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself.

"Ok…" he said. "Let's get back to the camp and pack up. Maybe if we follow the river, we can find him."

Misty nodded and followed him as he ran back through the woods.

When they reached the clearing, they picked up everything as fast as they could. Brock got a flashlight out of his bag, rolled up his sleeping bag, and put out the fire. Misty rolled up her own sleeping bag, then Ash's, and put his jacket and pokeball belt into his bag.

Brock hoisted his backpack onto his shoulders, then put Ash's over it. He focused the flashlight on the map and planned their route while Misty picked up her own bag, and held Togepi in both arms.

Brock moved his mouth silently as he planned their route. He turned to Misty and said, "Let's go." She and Pikachu followed him as he went through the woods.

- - - - - -

The first thing Ash noticed when he regained consciousness was pain.

He didn't open his eyes, only slightly groaned as he felt his body hurt everywhere. He could feel cold water running over his legs. His head swam, and it was hard to think.

He tried to take a deep breath, then stopped as pain inflamed his side. He winced, waiting for it to stop. It only softened, his heart beating quickly.

He finally forced his eyes open. Even after he focused them, he could barely tell where he was. It was too dark.

He worked his mind to try to figure out what happened. He finally remembered that it was night, and that's why he couldn't see. Then he remembered being pushed off the cliff by the Donphan, and everything going black before he hit the water.

He kept his breaths shallow. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but he knew it hurt to breath.

He gingerly lifted his head. It swam and he almost fainted, so he laid it back down. He slowly moved a hand up and touched his wet forehead. He was slightly puzzled when he noticed that the wetness was warm. It didn't feel like water; it was sticky.

He removed his hand from his head and moved it close to his eyes. He squinted, trying to make out what it was. Even though it was dark he could see what it was: blood.

His heart raced. _I'm bleeding…_ He thought about the pain in his side. _How bad am I hurt…?_

Trying to keep his head clear, he attempted to get up again. He did it slowly, trying to make sure he didn't faint. It hurt his head, but he was able to sit up.

He regretted it.

His side burned with pain, almost making him fall back to the ground. But he forced himself to stay up, wanting to see if he could stand.

He looked behind him and saw a tree a few inches away. He rolled onto his knees and crawled to it, pulling his legs out of the water. His side burned painfully. When he got to it, he put a hand on it and tried to lift himself up. As if it wasn't painful enough, his weight gave under his left ankle as it swarmed with pain, sending him back to the ground.

The collision made him yell, his entire body throbbing. He lay there, trying his best to catch his breath without breathing too deeply. He closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to subside.

After regaining his breath, he laid there, trying to figure out what to do.

_…I'm hurt so bad I can't even get up…_ he thought. _What am I supposed to do….?_ He breathed as deeply as he could without hurting his side.

…_I guess I have to stay here tonight…_

He tried his best to calm his mind and fall asleep, thinking some sleep might make him feel better. It was easier than he thought, as he felt very tired.

Just before he drifted into sleep, his last thought was:

…_I hope Misty's ok…_

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _

The second, and probably last chapter, will hopefully be posted soon. Please Review.

Chorus from the song "When You're Gone" by Avril Lavigne

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters. I do not own Avril Lavigne, or the song "When You're Gone."


	2. Chapter 2

Brock, Misty and Pikachu ran through the woods, the soft glow of the moonlight the only thing that made the outlines of distant trees visible. Brock was in the lead with a flashlight. He was looking for the edge of the river he saw on the map, so they could follow it and find Ash.

He knew it was probably a bad idea to be looking for him at night. He was probably taken too far down the river to follow, as he had been gone for a while, and the river's water flowed quickly. They couldn't see in the dark, and none of their pokemon would be of any use; they didn't have any that could see in the dark, and none of them could fly, not even Ash's.

But still, he knew they had to try.

They ran through the trees, the branches tickling their faces with their soft pine needles. If they found the river's shore, maybe they would find him washed up somewhere along it.

After what seemed like forever, they finally heard the sound of rushing water. They followed it, and emerged from the trees, onto the river's shore.

Brock peered up and down the river, watching the water swiftly wash over the rocks. The moonlight left a glow on the water, the reflecting light making everything more visible.

He followed the shore, going in the direction of the water's flow, the others following him. They kept looking in the river, and down the shore, hoping to find some kind of evidence that Ash was there.

They strained their eyes for an hour, walking farther down the shore, seeing no sign of their friend.

Brock knew that they wouldn't be able to find Ash in the dark. They were all too tired, and might not see him.

When the trees began to thin, he turned into the woods.

"Brock, where are you going?" Misty asked.

Brock hesitated. "… It's too dark… we have to wait until tomorrow."

"We can't!" Misty protested. Her body began to tremble. "He's hurt, and we have to find him!"

"Misty…" Brock turned around to face her. "If we keep going like this, we won't find him. We'll be able to check more areas when it's light out."

Tears fell down Misty's cheeks, and she was about to argue, when she felt a paw touch her leg.

She looked down and saw Pikachu's teary face looking up at her.

"Pikachupi… Pika Pi" (Misty… he's right.) She could tell by his tone that it was not easy for him to say.

Misty closed her eyes tightly, breathing heavily. She finally consented with a small nod.

Brock nodded and led the way into the woods.

The woods were thinner here, surrounded by deciduous trees. They found a wide space in them, and decided to stay there.

They took their backpacks off and tried to get settled. They didn't bother making a fire, they just used the light from the flashlight so they could set up their sleeping bags.

When they were done, Brock turned off the light and got into his sleeping bag. Misty crawled into hers and cuddled the already sleeping Togepi close.

Misty stared blankly ahead of herself, not noticing the tree in front of her.

She felt something brush against her head, and turned to see Pikachu curl up by her, looking at her with tears in his eyes. She saw the same pain in his eyes that were in her own.

Misty smiled weakly and patted Pikachu on the head. He smiled, and laid his head down and closed his eyes.

Misty pulled her sleeping bag closer to her face, then forced her eyes to close. She didn't care as her tears fell, wetting the ground. Her stomach felt sick, and her chest was filled with worry and fear. She sobbed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

- - - - -

Ash warily cracked his eyes open. Light blinded him briefly, then he opened them all the way.

He stared upward, seeing the tops of slightly swaying trees above him. The sky was just beginning to lose all it's color, except a dark blue, showing that it just became morning.

He blinked, and groaned. His whole body was sore. Sleep helped clear his head, but everything still hurt.

He carefully pulled himself up and leaned on his elbow, his side burning in protest. He winced, and blinked tears out of his eyes. He looked around; the surrounding area was covered in trees. No path was visible.

…_Where am I…?_ Ash wondered. He didn't know exactly where he was; all he knew was that the river had carried him away from the cliff, but he had no idea how far.

Taking shallow breaths, he got onto his hands and knees, wincing at the effort. He slowly crawled to a tree and leaned his back against it. He laid his head against it and closed his eyes.

He tried to catch his breath, keeping them shallow. _…What is wrong with me…?_ He wondered, looking down at his burning side. He carefully started pulling his shirt up until his side was exposed.

A blotchy bruise the size of a football spread across his ribs. He pressed a finger on it, and winced. It was hot to the touch.

He pulled his shirt back down and leaned his head against the tree.

_How am I supposed to get out of here…?_ He thought helplessly, his labored breathing finally starting to calm. _I can't walk on my ankle, I can barely breath, and I don't know where I am…_

He looked in the opposite direction of the river, listening as it rushed behind him.

He blinked and looked around warily. He looked down as something caught his eye. A long stick lay on the ground a few feet away. He got an idea, and carefully got onto his hands and knees and crawled to it, heaving for breath.

He almost collapsed when he reached it, but forced his shaking arms to support him. He used one hand and retrieved the stick, then put his other hand on a tree. While using the tree for support, he picked himself up, fitting the stick under his left arm like a crutch.

He managed to get on his feet, holding himself up with his good ankle and using the stick as his other foot. He leaned against the tree for support, closing his eyes as he regained his breath with short gasps.

_…Ok…_ he thought, trying to sort his thoughts, _…I can try to find a road or something if I just walk away from the river._

With this in mind, he left the support of the tree, and held himself up with the stick. It was pretty easy.

He moved his right foot forward, then tried to limp with his left, using the stick as his leg.

He tried not to cry out as his right side inflamed, as he had to use it a bit to move forward. He gritted his teeth and made himself take another step. It hurt, but was less painful than before.

He advanced forward, trying to concentrate on the path ahead. He forced himself on for what felt like hours.

After about thirty minutes, he was still surrounded by what seemed like never-ending trees. He wasn't sure how far he had gone, but he at least couldn't hear the river anymore. He decided he needed to rest. As if he wasn't in enough pain, he felt hunger clawing at his stomach.

He leaned against another tree, not wanting to let himself sit down. It was too hard to get up, and he didn't want to do it again.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain sent to him by his inflamed side.

_Ok…_ He thought, trying to calm himself, _I can do this…_

He opened his eyes and looked in the direction he was heading. He noticed a green bush a few feet away, growing colorful berries.

He blinked, and pulled himself away from the tree. _Well, at least I have a little luck,_ he thought as he limped over to the bush.

He supported himself against a thick tree that grew next to the bush. He picked one of the large berries and tasted it. It was very sweet.

His pain was making his stomach a little sick, but he knew that if he ate, he would feel better.

He ate as many as he could, then just closed his eyes and laid his head against the tree, his stomach finally one of the few things that didn't hurt.

He took a shallow sigh. _…I'm so tired…_he thought as his legs shook, threatening to give way underneath him. But he knew that he had to keep going. He had to get help.

He reluctantly left the tree's support, and continued forward.

_- - - - -_

_Misty found herself in the woods. She looked around, a puzzled look on her face._

_Where am I…? she thought, eyeing the dark trees that surrounded her._

_She whipped her head around as she heard a sound coming from her right. She squinted, and could make out the outline of a person coming in her direction. When the person came into view, her heart jumped._

_"Ash!" she cried, running to him and wrapping her arms around him. "I was so worried! Are you ok?"_

_He wrapped his arms around her and spoke softly. "Of course I'm ok. Why wouldn't I be?"_

_Misty looked up at him. She smiled, his sweet russet eyes sparkling. He smiled back, and they leaned in toward each other._

_Misty felt like she was falling from the sky. She opened her mouth in a soundless scream as Ash was pulled away from her, and fell into a river below._

Misty's eyes snapped open. Her chest hurt, and her face was drenched in tears. She took a shuddering breath, and looked around quickly. She was laying in her sleeping bag in the woods.

A lump formed in her throat, and she closed her eyes when she realized it was a dream.

_…Ash… please be ok…_ she thought as she sobbed, the tears falling through her closed eyes.

She warily opened them, realizing that the sky was a dark blue, signifying morning. She sat up quickly, waking Togepi who slept next to her.

_It's morning! We have to go!_

She jumped out of her sleeping bag, making Pikachu, who was sleeping by her head, jump to life. He looked around quickly, then followed Misty as she ran over to Brock.

"Brock! Brock, wake up!" she said, kneeling by him and shaking his shoulder. Pikachu was ready to shock him if he didn't wake up.

He woke with a start, and sat up quickly.

His head wasn't completely clear, and he didn't remember that Ash was missing. "What?" he said a bit angrily. One look at Misty's face, and he remembered what happened.

"Let's get ready," he said, getting out of his sleeping bag. Misty nodded and went to get her stuff.

They wrapped up the sleeping bags, and picked up the backpacks. Brock looked at the map while Misty picked up the oblivious Togepi, who just chirped with delight as her mother picked her up. Pikachu stood on all fours, watching Brock impatiently as he waited for the breeder to say it was time to go.

"Ok," he said, "We'll keep following the river's shore for now, and see if he washed up somewhere." The others agreed, and they followed him through the woods.

They got back to the river's shore where they were last night, the deep, clear water now fully visible under the sun's light. None of them wanted to waste any time, so they didn't eat. They weren't hungry anyway; their stomachs felt too sick with worry. The only one who ate was Togepi; she was too young to understand what was going on, and was hungry.

They walked along the shore, calling Ash's name as the sun lifted higher into the sky. Misty's stomach was unsettled, and she felt more and more sick as the image of Ash falling off the cliff played through her head without her consent.

They walked for hours, searching the shore and taking brief looks in the trees by it. They began to slow, their rushed search exhausting them. Brock said they should take a break. Misty tried to resist, even though she was ready to drop. Brock managed to convince her that they needed to rest.

They seated themselves on the shore, just by a few trees. Pikachu plopped onto his stomach, tears filling his eyes. Brock pulled some food out of his bag and handed it out. He barely paid attention to it as he ate. Misty had to force herself to eat half of it, then couldn't eat anymore, so she fed Togepi. Pikachu picked at his food, then left it alone.

When Brock was done, he watched Misty for a minute. He knew she was upset, and he didn't want to make it worse, but he didn't know how Ash managed to fall off a cliff. He was worried about something else too, but had to see how possible it was.

"…Misty?" he asked. She turned her sad eyes to him.

He sighed, and looked away briefly, trying to think of how to ask. "…Umm… exactly how did Ash fall off the cliff?"

Misty stared at him blankly for a second. She really didn't want to talk about it, but maybe if she told him what happened, he would know a better way to find Ash.

"Well…" she started, her voice low, "I couldn't sleep, so I took a walk in the woods…" She didn't tell him that she left because she was upset. "And…. I guess Ash was worried, so he followed me. I guess we were in a Donphan's territory, because one started chasing us." She replayed everything in her head as she spoke, her stomach feeling sick.

"Ash said we should split up, and when we did, he threw a rock at it, and made it follow him…" Her eyes became wet as she thought of what Ash did to protect her.

She swiftly wiped them before continuing. "I was worried, so I followed them. The Donphan chased Ash to the cliff. I guess he hurt himself, because he was on the ground, and he couldn't get away when the Donphan charged at him…" Her face started to scrunch up, and she tried not to let her tears fall.

Brock looked away while he processed the information. "What happened to the Donphan?"

Misty avoided eye contact. "It fell after Ash. When I looked down to try and find him, I saw it get out of the river and run away."

Brock shifted. He knew his next question would upset her, but he had to know; they needed to be prepared.

"When Ash fell…." He started. "Did he hit the cliff more than once?"

Misty looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Why does it matter?" she choked, not appreciating that he was bringing up the incident.

Brock sighed. He had to tell her; she needed to be prepared if it happened. "Because… the impact might've killed him…"

At his words, Misty's heart jumped into her throat. She couldn't see Brock sitting in front of her as her tears blocked her vision. Pikachu's ears drooped, and tears fell down his cheeks.

Misty turned her gaze to the ground, the tears falling as she closed her eyes. She had thought it was possible that he was dead, but she wouldn't let herself believe it. Now, hearing that Brock thought the same thing made her lose almost all hope.

She took a shuddering breath, then said, "…He hit it a lot… I don't know how many times…"

Brock's face fell and he looked at the ground. Now he knew that it was very possible that they wouldn't find him alive. He tried to shake the thought from his head; he had to be positive. If he broke down, none of them would have any hope.

Pikachu whimpered as he lay on the ground, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Pika Pika Pikachu. Pika Pikachu Pika Pikapi" (It's all my fault. I couldn't protect Ash) Because Misty and Brock knew Pikachu for a long time, they were able to make out what he said.

"Pikachu…" Misty said, lightly stroking the yellow mouse's head, "It wasn't your fault. If it wasn't for you, the Donphan would've gotten both of us." Pikachu looked at her with glistening eyes. He seemed unsure, then smiled.

Brock smiled lightly. "We'll keep looking. If we don't find him, we can get a search team at the next town."

Misty smiled weakly and nodded. She turned her face to the ground and closed her eyes.

_I won't give up on you Ash…_ she thought, her heart aching, _I'll find you…_

- - - - -

Ash walked for as long as he could. He didn't care how much pain he was in, and how much his body tried to resist him; he would do whatever it took to find Misty and make sure she was ok.

He forced himself forward for an hour. The pain set his mind into a steady throb; only his determination kept him going.

Because he could barely see through all the pain, he didn't see a rock lying on the ground. He continued to walk forward. Before he knew what was happening, his foot struck it, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto his stomach.

He started to curl up on the ground as he rolled onto his back, his eyes watering uncontrollably as his side singed. He breathed quickly, his head swimming as his head pounded.

He groaned, and gradually slowed his breathing as the pain finally softened. He stayed in his position on the ground, letting his head clear. He didn't want to be in pain anymore. He just wanted it to stop.

_…I can't give up…_ he thought as he slowly opened his eyes. He didn't know that the Donphan fell off the cliff with him. He thought Misty might still be in danger.

I have to make sure she's ok… 

Even with his determination, his body got the best of him, and refused to let him get back up. He couldn't fight it anymore, and slowly lost consciousness.

- - - - -

Misty and Brock continued their search. They walked along the river's seemingly endless shore, trying to find any sign of him. They called his name and never got an answer.

Brock looked at the map. The river was long, and he wasn't sure how far down they had gone. It was hard to decide where to go because they didn't know how long the river was, and, if Ash was alive and managed to get out of the river, they didn't know how far he could get by himself.

He continued to scan the map, and spotted a road that wasn't very far away. He figured if they followed the road for a while, they could look in the surrounding woods. He also noticed a Pokemon Center not too far away where they could get help.

Brock turned to Misty. "There's a road nearby," he said. "Let's follow that for a little while. There's a Pokemon Center not too far from here, and we can check the surrounding trees as we go."

Misty nodded, and followed him.

They walked for a few minutes, then emerged into an open dirt road, dense tree on both sides. Brock looked at the map and headed to the right, the others following him.

Misty lost herself in her thoughts as Brock called Ash's name.

_…Ash… You have to be ok…_She thought, a tear sliding down her cheek. _I can't live without you… I can't… _She turned her face to the ground.

_If you're ok, I swear to tell you how I feel about you… I won't let fear stop me… Not when I could lose you…_

- - - - -

Ash opened his eyes. He looked up at the trees above him, puzzled. His head cleared, then he realized that he passed out.

He sat up on his elbow, trying to ignore the pain that inflamed in his side. He looked around, and saw that he must have been out for a while; the sky was gradually losing its blue color, and beginning to reveal red and yellow as sunset approached.

His head hurt, and it was still hard to breathe. He just wanted to fall back to the ground and never get up. But he forced himself to stay up. He couldn't stop until he knew that Misty was ok.

He winced as he used a tree to lift himself onto his feet, supporting himself on the stick. He took shallow breaths, frustrated at how hard it was too breathe. After it slowed, he forced himself forward.

He walked for a few more minutes, his eyes drooping with exhaustion. He knew that he shouldn't even be moving; if he was hurt this bad, walking like this could kill him. But he didn't care. He had a mission, and he was going to accomplish it.

The more he walked, the more exhausted he became. His breathing was labored, and he didn't stop to rest; he wouldn't be able to last much longer if he stayed in the woods.

Suddenly, he felt the ground underneath his feet change. He opened his eyes, and found that he was out of the woods and standing in a dirt road. He couldn't help a little smile at his success. He looked back and forth, not sure which way he should go. Hoping he was right, he turned left and continued walking.

- - - - -

Brock and Misty were searching for hours. As they walked down the road, they would check the surrounding woods, then make their way back to the road if they didn't find anything.

They came back to the road after searching in another part of the woods. The sun was now beginning to set, leaving an orange light along the sky.

They had searched so many times, Misty was starting to get hysterical. Her face was pale, her cheeks were wet, and her body felt numb. Togepi decided that she wanted to be in Misty's backpack, so Misty was fiddling with her hands nervously.

They walked down the road and Brock turned to go look in the woods yet again. Misty started to follow him, but suddenly stopped in her tracks. Not knowing where Ash was, if he was alive, or if she would ever see him again finally got the best of her.

Her legs gave way underneath her, and she fell to her knees. She buried her face in her hands, and cried uncontrollably.

Brock turned around as he heard her hit the ground.

"Misty!" He ran to her and kneeled next to her, putting a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"Misty! Are you ok!?" Misty tried to speak, but the lump in her throat made it impossible. She just shook her head helplessly, gasping for air.

"Misty, calm down," Brock said, worry in his voice. "Just take a deep breath… good… do it again…"

Misty obeyed him, her breaths coming in greats shudders. She finally started to calm down and sat with her head on her knees.

"Ok, good…" Brock said. "Just stay here, and calm down. I'm gonna go look in the woods, ok?" She nodded her head without looking at him.

Brock stood up and headed for the woods. Pikachu looked at Misty sadly. He trotted up to her and licked her face, then bounded after Brock.

Misty tried to calm herself with a few more shuddering breaths. It helped her to breath, but the worry and fear in her chest felt like it was going to explode.

Her breathing finally began to calm down, and her tears stopped. She just sat there, her helplessness trying to consume her.

_I can't do this…_ Misty thought. _…I can't…_ She just hoped in her heart that Ash was ok.

She was pulled from her thoughts as she heard footsteps coming from her left. She slowly lifted her head and looked down the road. It dropped in a small hill, so she couldn't see the road a few yards ahead. She just watched as the footsteps got closer.

When the owner of the footsteps came into view, Misty's heart stopped. She blinked, thinking she was dreaming, but he was still there.

Ash gradually came into view, limping and supporting his weight on a stick, his gaze on the ground.

Her breath caught in her throat and her body went numb. She just stared. Ash was alive.

After limping up the small hill in the road, Ash looked forward. His vision was blurry, but he thought he saw something on the side of the road. He blinked to clear his vision, and his breath stopped as he saw Misty.

Misty finally forced herself to her feet as the two looked into each other's eyes. She tried to speak, but her mouth just moved wordlessly. When she was finally able to feel her legs she ran to him. Ash dropped the stick he was using, and wrapped his arms around her when she reached him.

"Ash! You're alive!" Misty choked, burying her face into his chest. His touch lifted her heart. She thought she'd never feel him again.

"Misty…" Ash said hoarsely, resting his cheek on her head. "You're ok…"

Misty pulled her head back and looked at his face. A worried look came across her face as she saw dry blood on his forehead.

"Ash! You're hurt!" she said frantically. She pulled away from him slightly to see if he was hurt anywhere else. She gasped and caught him as he almost fell over without her support.

"What's wrong!?" Misty asked, starting to panic. "What hurts!?"

Ash pulled in a shallow breath. " I can't breath…."

Misty's heart dropped. Using both hands, she gently lowered him to the ground in a sitting position, and put a hand on his back to support him.

"It's ok, Ash," she said, tears falling down her cheeks. "Just breathe…"

He closed his eyes and took a labored breath. "I can't…"

Misty's face became hot as she panicked. She looked around then screamed, "Brock! Help!"

What she didn't know was that he and Pikachu were already on their way back, so they answered her call within seconds. Their eyes became wide as they saw Ash.

"Ash!" Brock exclaimed, rushing over with Pikachu beside him. He quickly kneeled down on the other side, Pikachu sitting in front of his trainer with worry on his face.

"He can't breath…" Misty choked.

Brock looked at Ash. "Ash, where does it hurt?"

Ash didn't open his eyes as he moved his hand to his burning side, his breath becoming more shallow.

"Ok, lay back," Brock said, carefully helping him to lie down. Brock gingerly lifted Ash's shirt, exposing the giant bruise on his side.

Misty's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped. She stared at the injury, terrified.

Worry consumed Brock's face. He lowered Ash's shirt and tried not to panic. "Ok, Ash, just….. Ash?" They watched as Ash's breathing slowed and he passed out.

"Ash!" Misty yelled, almost shaking him. "Ash! Wake up!"

Brock didn't waste any time. He carefully pulled Ash up and hung him over his shoulders. He stood up. "Let's go." He went down the road as fast as he could, Misty and Pikachu following.

They ran as fast as they could, set on getting Ash help. Misty's only interruption was when Togepi began to get upset, so she held her in her arms and continued to follow Brock. She kept calling Ash's name, checking for any sign of consciousness, but found none.

They quickened their pace as the Pokemon Center came into view. It was put there for anyone who was traveling through the woods, and needed their pokemon healed before the next city.

Misty ran ahead and opened the door for Brock. She and Pikachu followed after he entered.

"Help!" Brock yelled, gasping for air as sweat dripped down his face.

A Nurse Joy was behind a counter, and came to them immediately. She looked at Ash's lifeless body slumped over Brock's shoulders.

"What happened!?"

"He… fell off a cliff and… he's hurt really bad…" Brock managed to say through gasps.

Nurse Joy ran back to her desk and picked up a phone. "Emergency, I need a stretcher, stat!" she said. Just seconds after she hung up, two swinging doors behind her opened, and a stretcher came out, being pushed by two other nurses.

"Put him here," one of the nurses said. Brock quickly but gently lowered Ash onto it. As soon as he did, the nurses hurried it back through the doors.

"Do you know anything of his injuries?" Nurse Joy asked Brock.

Brock, who didn't even think about flirting because of the situation, took a breath and said, "The only thing we know is that he has a big bruise on his side, and he couldn't breathe."

"What's his name?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Ash," Brock breathed.

Nurse Joy nodded. "Wait here, we'll do what we can," she said, her voice sympathetic. "I'll come back when we know more." She quickly went through the door after the other nurses.

Brock and Misty watched the doors swing, their hearts pounding. After they closed, Brock turned around and slumped into a chair. He put a hand on his head, a blank look on his face.

Misty stared blankly at the doors. She couldn't bring herself to move. She had been worrying that Ash was dead, then found he was alive. Now, he was injured so bad, he might still die.

She turned around and walked on stiff legs to a chair. She plopped into it, breathing heavily and setting Togepi in her lap. Her eyes were fixed open, tears unnoticed as they fell. Pikachu jumped onto the chair next to her. He lay on his stomach and fixed his gaze on the doors.

Misty's vision blurred as her tears fell. _Ash…_ she thought, _… Please… please be ok…_

Her worry and exhaustion began to take over her body. She curled up on her chair, taking her feet off the ground, and closed her eyes.

- - - - -

Hours passed, and there was still no word. Misty was in a fitful sleep; Brock dozed in his chair while sitting up. Pikachu's eyes drooped, but they stayed fixed on the doors his trainer was taken in.

Finally, the doors swung open, and Nurse Joy walked out. Brock jerked his head and stood up quickly. Misty's eyes opened slowly, then she got up hastily, waking Togepi who had fallen asleep next to her. Pikachu leapt from his chair and stared at Nurse Joy.

"Well…." Nurse Joy started before they could start asking her questions, "He couldn't breath because he has three broken ribs. He had a deep cut on his forehead, and his ankle was badly sprained. He's lucky he wasn't coughing up blood, or punctured a lung."

Misty took a deep breath, trying not to let herself get upset.

"Is he going to be ok?" Brock asked, sounding desperate.

Nurse Joy sighed. "He's going to have to stay here for a while, and he's going to be in pain for a few days, but he should be fine."

A wide grin spread across Brock's face. Pikachu stood on his back feet and cried out happily. Misty listened to the words, and smiled. For once, tears of happiness ran down her cheeks.

After Misty got rid of the lump in her throat, she asked, "Can we see him?"

"For a little while," Nurse Joy said. She turned and led them through the doors.

They entered a small room with a single bed. Ash lay in it. There was a splint on his ankle, and his shirtless chest was wrapped. A bandage was on his forehead, and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose. They warily walked forward.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Nurse Joy said, then left the room.

They returned their attention to Ash. Pikachu leapt onto the bed and stared at his trainer's face. Brock was overjoyed that Ash was ok, but stayed back so the others could see him.

Misty looked down in her arms as she heard Togepi whimper. "Toge Toge Togeppprii?" (Mommy, what's wrong with daddy?)

Misty hugged her baby egg pokemon and said, "He's just fine, don't you worry." Togepi chirped happily.

"I'll hold her, Misty," Brock said. He didn't want Misty to have any distractions, and Togepi might get upset again if she saw Ash's injuries too much.

"Thanks, Brock," Misty said thankfully, giving Togepi to Brock. She returned her attention to Ash, and looked at his closed eyes.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she gently took his hand in both of hers. She squeezed it lightly, hoping he would respond.

"Ash…" Misty said softly, "I'm sorry… it's my fault this happened… I'm gonna make it up to you…."

Her breath caught as Ash stirred slightly. He cracked his eyes open and stared ahead of himself, a puzzled look on his face.

"Ash?" Misty said, squeezing his hand tighter. Ash turned his head in her direction, his vision blurred. He blinked, and when his vision cleared, he saw Misty standing by him.

He tried to speak, then noticed that a mask was covering his mouth. He moved his free hand to it and pulled it off.

"Ash, don't" Misty said, trying to stop him. Ash still lowered it away from his face.

Pikachu's eyes lightened, glistening with tears. He rubbed his cheek against his trainer's face, wetting it with his own tears.

"Hey, Pikachu," Ash said weakly, briefly scratching the top of his pokemon's head. Pikachu moved away and smiled.

Ash looked at Misty and took a shallow breath. "Misty… are you ok?"

"Ash, I'm fine," Misty said, lightly rubbing his hand, "You're the one who's hurt."

"No, I'm fine," Ash said. He betrayed his own words by slightly wincing.

"Ash, you have to rest," Misty choked, trying to put the mask back on his face. He resisted.

"Misty," he said, eyes drooping, "Don't cry… I'm ok, you don't have to worry."

A tear rolled down Misty's cheek. "Yes I do."

Ash frowned, concern on his face. "…Why?"

A lump formed in Misty's throat. She swore to tell him how she felt; she tried, but the lump in her throat blocked the words.

Just then, Nurse Joy walked in. "Ok, he needs to rest," she said, holding the door open for them.

Misty sighed in her defeat, and lifted the oxygen mask back onto Ash's face. "Just rest," she said. He stared into her eyes, not wanting her to leave.

"Get better, ok?" Brock said, winking. Ash looked at him and nodded.

Pikachu licked Ash's cheek and smiled, then jumped off the bed and followed Brock as he went through the door.

"Miss?" Nurse Joy said when Misty didn't leave.

Misty looked at Ash, then bent down and lightly kissed his forehead. "We'll be back," she whispered. They reluctantly let go of each other's hands as she walked to the door. Ash kept his eyes on Misty until she was out of sight.

- - - - -

Misty slowly opened her eyes as morning sunlight came through a window and covered her face. She, Brock and the pokemon were given a room in the Pokemon Center for the night.

She sat up and looked around. Brock was in a bed next to hers, and Pikachu was sleeping by her feet. Togepi had her usual spot by Misty's side.

Misty got out of bed and stretched, waking the two sleeping pokemon. Togepi chirped happily as Misty picked her up. Pikachu arched his back in a stretch, then gave Misty a big smile.

Misty smiled back. She was glad that Ash was ok. But an uneasy feeling started to build up in her chest.

_I swore I would do it…_ she thought to herself. _…I have to tell him._

Brock stirred in his bed, then sat up, yawning. He turned to look at Misty.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," Misty said with a slight smile. Her heart pounded nervously. "Can we see Ash?"

Brock smiled. "Sure, if the nurse says it's ok." Misty nodded, and they all got ready.

They left their room and made their way to the front desk. Nurse Joy stood behind it, and saw them approach.

"Hello," she smiled after they reached her. "Can I help you?"

"We'd like to see our friend Ash," Brock said. Nurse Joy nodded. "Of course. He seems to be doing better this morning." They all smiled and followed her. Misty's chest filled with anxiety with each step.

When they entered Ash's room, they saw his bed in an upright position, letting him sit up. The nurses let him take off the oxygen mask for a little while, so he wasn't wearing it. He turned in their direction as he heard them come in and smiled.

"Try not to stay too long," Nurse Joy said before leaving the room. They all walked up to Ash.

"Hey Ash, you feel any better today?" Brock asked, his voice joyful.

"Yeah, just fine," Ash said, his voice still weak. He was still taking shallow breaths, but it would be hard to breath until his ribs healed.

"Good," Brock smiled. Pikachu jumped onto the bed and hugged Ash carefully.

"Hey, Pikachu," Ash said, putting a hand around his little pokemon. "You did really good protecting me and Misty from that Donphan. Thanks, buddy." Pikachu looked into his trainer's proud eyes, and smiled.

Misty watched as Ash scratched Pikachu's head. She smiled; seeing him feeling better made her happier than anything in the world.

Ash looked up from Pikachu and looked at Misty. He gave one of his sweet smiles that she loved so much.

"Hey Misty," he said, his voice still sweet, even though it was weak.

"Hi," Misty said, tears welling up in her eyes. She just stared at him, trying to gather up the courage to tell him what she swore she would.

Brock smiled slyly to himself. He knew Misty well enough to know what she was trying to say. He walked up to her and said, "Hey Misty, why don't I take Togepi and Pikachu and get them ready for breakfast?"

Misty looked at him and blinked in surprise at the sudden request. She saw his slight grin, and didn't really know what was going on, but she consented.

"Sure. Thanks, Brock," she said, handing Togepi to him.

"No problem," Brock said as he accepted Togepi. He headed for the door. "Come on, Pikachu."

Pikachu took one more loving look at his trainer, then licked his cheek and bounded after Brock as he left the room.

After the doors shut, Misty looked at Ash. She blushed, and got butterflies in her stomach.

"…Misty?" Ash said, noticing her face turning red. "You ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Misty said. She reached for his hand and held it with both of her own. Ash watched her, a puzzled look on his face.

Misty looked down, lightly rubbing his hand. "Ash… there's something I want to tell you…"

Ash's heart leaped; could she be saying what he thought she was saying?

Misty looked back up at him, tears filling her eyes. "I….. I walked away from camp that night because I was upset about something…" She squeezed his hand, taking a quick breath.

"I said I couldn't tell you, but… now I'm ready." Ash's heart beat faster. His breathing was already shallow, so he was glad when it didn't get worse.

Misty blinked, letting some of the tears fall before she continued.

"Ash… I love you."

Ash's heart almost stopped. His stomach filled with butterflies, and he momentarily forgot all his pain.

He moved his free hand and put it over hers. Misty looked at him, surprised.

He fixed his gaze into her eyes, smiling. "Misty…" he breathed. "I love you, too."

Tears of joy flowed from Misty's eyes. She smiled, and hugged Ash, being as gentle as she could. He hugged her back with one arm, his heart feeling like it was flying.

They parted and stared into each other's eyes. Misty blinked as more tears flowed. Ash smiled, his sweet smile that she loved.

They slowly leaned in and their lips met in a gentle kiss.

After they parted, they stared at each other, squeezing each other's hands affectionately.

Even though what happened almost cost Ash his life, it made them realize that no matter how much they were afraid, they couldn't keep their love inside; not when something they never expected could tear them apart. It helped them find the courage, and they were rewarded.

They finally had each other.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There's the end. I hope you liked it. Reviews are important to me, so please write one. Thanks.


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